Sanctuary
by Completely Odd
Summary: It was like she was drowning in a land of ice and she could just make out an amorphous green hue shining down on her from above as strong as the sun. Every time Wanda reached out to it, another force yanked it away and left her in the frozen tomb. CXW


-1Wanda padded back and forth between the door and her bed, the pink scheme of the room causing her entire body to look rosy in the dull moonlight that poured in from her open window. She couldn't even tell herself that she wanted to sleep anymore. It was far too hard to keep her breathing normal, much less the rest of her daily routines. Blonda had no qualms about pointing out Wanda's sudden depression to Big Daddy. Though Wanda knew he could save her if she asked him, she had furiously refused to talk about her situation. It was only through the most extensive threats of Cosmo's beloved pet Snowball that Wanda had convinced her sister to keep her mouth shut.

Thinking of Snowball, of the magical nights that Cosmo had taken her on rides through the sky on his hydra, made Wanda halt suddenly at the foot of her bed. She had cried for him and knew she would cry now if she didn't do something. It was like she was drowning in a land of ice and she could just make out an amorphous green hue shining down on her from above as strong as the sun. Every time Wanda reached out to it, another force yanked it away and left her in the frozen tomb of darkness.

Having given in to her feelings for Cosmo years ago, Wanda had finally felt that she knew where she needed to be. Every time their lips collided, Wanda would pull away giggling as Cosmo's braces grazed her lips. Every time he held her in his arms, his fingers shook and sent tingles up and down her skin. She loved him for it, loved him for his uncertainty. Juandissimo had only took. He had never forced her to do anything she didn't want to do, but he never asked for what she did want either. Cosmo, on the other hand, asked about things which needed no asking. Wanda was fairly sure that if she were hanging off a cliff, Cosmo would rush to the edge just to ask if it was okay to grab her hand to pull her to safety. With Cosmo, it wasn't the excitement of passionate embraces, but of granted sincerities. Every time he made a request, Wanda would wait in anticipation for his touch. It always hanged between them, the fact that he need not ask after five years of courtship, and yet he did it all the same. It was that security, that net underneath her wings, that made their parting all the more painful.

It had happened one night ago, as the couple had been returning from the diner where they had been enjoying an anniversary dinner. Cosmo had only been able to give her a cheeseburger and a shake, but to Wanda it was better than anything he could have given her, just because it was their place. The jukebox had permeated the air with their favorite song, the booth in which they sat had their names carved upon the wooden background, the floor had been covered with countless dust-tracks of their shoes as they had danced. Neither had ever wanted the night to end. Cosmo's mother, however, was a different story.

"What did you do to my Cosmo-lolo?" Mama Cosma spat at her as she opened the door, having been peeking behind her curtains to await her son's return.

"I didn't do anything…" said Wanda, trying to give her most innocent glance but failing as her distaste for the older woman gave way in her narrowed eyes.

Mama Cosma looked Cosmo up and down, "He's smiling," she said matter-of-factly, floating around him as if to check for further mortal damage, "He shouldn't be smiling."

Wanda breathed deeply and hanged her head in defeat, "Would you rather me bring him home sobbing and screaming?" Wanda did not wait for an answer but took Cosma's smile as a cynical laugh at her stupidity. Cosmo floated just at Wanda's side with his large, green eyes watching the stars twinkle in and out of focus in the sky.

Mama Cosma's arm reached out all of sudden and grabbed Cosmo, taking him away from her and leaving Wanda feeling strangely empty. And then a hatred that Wanda had never known ignited in Cosma's eyes.

"Cosmo-lolo, say good-bye to your nasty, little friend. You won't be seeing her again."

Cosmo gasped and looked helplessly at Wanda, whose mouth had fell open, ready to argue.

"Don't you dare, you wicked, wicked girl," Cosma said, pushing her son further into his home even as his fingers reached out to his beloved, "I've tried to reason with you, but nothing seems to work. I simply cannot make you understand that my Cozzie isn't interested. You just keep chasing him and chasing him…running in circles…well I'm putting my wand down!"

Sure enough, Mama Cosma's wand sparked for one moment between the women before a rush of air blew Wanda out of orbit and onto the streets. She narrowly missed the clouds and felt her head dip back as the sidewalk gave through to pure air. When she regained her footing, Wanda could plainly see a magical barrier had been placed over the household. Cosmo had been screaming, had been fighting the barrier and crying to his mother, but Wanda could hear none of it. The night had been enveloped in the cruelest silence as the man she loved was rushed back into his mother's lair and the curtains pulled back once and for all. Wanda had floated aimlessly in space for the longest time before turning around and poofing home. She had seen Cosmo in nothing but dreams since.

Wanda sighed heavily and flopped onto her bed. She had never felt this lonely in her entire life. Before Cosmo, Wanda hadn't known that it was possible to love someone more than yourself. She had never known what it was like to put someone before you every single time. Wanda enjoyed taking care of people, enjoyed knowing that she made an impact on lives. And when she was with Cosmo, that feeling was nearly permanent. He always reached for her, never stopping to think how his need for her made her love him more. She knew he was a challenge, but he was a challenge Wanda had been all too happy to take. If her life would never end, how could she go on living without that sense of being wanted?

The pink fairy felt the sting of tears flood her eyes. His face kept popping up in her mind, kept calling to her without a sound, and she couldn't stand it. Sniffing back the sobs that threatened to pour, Wanda flew to her window to shut herself in completely. And that's when she saw it. It was looming just above her garden and flittering back and forth between the beds of roses and daisies. It was barely brighter than a flashlight, and yet it seemed to throw her entire home into the light of day again.

It was the greenest orb she'd ever seen.

Entranced, Wanda leaned out the window to catch a better look at the figure. It spotted her, and the glow dimmed for a moment. She panicked, lost all sense, reached her hand out and cried, "Cosmo! Cosmo, is that you!?!" The figure lit up immediately before diving into the garden and disappearing into the night. Wanda felt suddenly foolish. She glanced to her sister's window and wondered if she was really cruel enough to send that light to tease her. Blonda's window showed no sign that she was awake, and yet Wanda felt her heart sink all the same. She waited at her window until the pain became too much to bear, and then she shut it tightly before crying to her bed.

As she lay upon her pink sheets, Wanda cuddled her pillow and wished more than anything that it was Cosmo. She closed her aching eyes and pictured his soft hair against her face, his imperfect skin rubbing her own. She could almost feel his warmth around her…could almost hear his voice again…

"Wanda, did the pink hurt your eyes?" Wanda choked and threw herself into a sitting position. Cosmo was hovering just in front of her window with flowers in his hands. They were obviously raped from the flower bed, but Wanda couldn't care less. She wasn't drowning anymore.

Jumping from the bed and poofing into Cosmo's arms, Wanda let out a cry of joy. "Oh, Cosmo, I've missed you so much!" She kissed his lips and snuggled into his body. Her heart leapt as even now his limbs shook with indecision. Grabbing his hands, Wanda pulled him closer to her and sighed in relief as his chin fell onto her head of its own accord.

"I missed you too! I brought you flowers…" said Cosmo, sheepishly smiling down at his girlfriend as if wondering if she would recognize the fruit of her own garden. She took the flowers with a small grin and placed them on her dresser. She couldn't even be bothered with summoning a vase. Cosmo was here and she didn't want to waste one second that they had together.

She flew back over to him with a smile. "Cosmo, how did you get away from your mama?"

Cosmo stared down at the pink, pony-printed rug and shrugged, "We were out of milk. And…don't be mad with me, Wanda!" Ducking his face into his hands, Cosmo turned from a shocked Wanda and leaned his head against the window.

"Mad at you? Whatever for, puddin'?"

He looked back up at her with his eyes a brighter green for his tears. "I…I told mama…I told her that I didn't love you anymore and that I'd never see you again so she'd let me go. But it wasn't true! I'm here and I love you more than ever!"

Wanda's heart did a somersault. She gave him the sweetest smile and hugged him close. "Cosmo, I'm not mad at you. I'm thrilled you risked your safety to visit me tonight. I'll even poof up some milk so your mama doesn't know the difference."

Instead of lighting up, Cosmo's face drooped and became sullen and serious. It scared Wanda to see him like this because he was always laughing, always beaming, always moving on and moving swiftly. She had a strong feeling that whatever he said next would stay between them for the rest of their lives and that Cosmo knew it too. Green eyes looked up at her uncertainly and she gave him one nervous nod.

"I'm…I'm not going back to mama," said Cosmo. Wanda lifted a delicate, pink brow and Cosmo bit his lower lip, "I'm not going anywhere unless it's with you."

Having not received the full message, Wanda shook her head, "No, sweetie…you have to go back to her. She's expecting you and she'd bound to find out where you've gone. If we go outside, she'll see us."

Cosmo whimpered, "So…So it's not forever?"

"What's not forever?"

"This," said Cosmo, digging in his pockets and producing a small, golden ring that glittered silver in the light. Wanda stopped being. Cosmo held the ring out in his hand as if the weight were pulling his entire body down. "Daddy told me when I was really little that I would give this to someone for forever. He said a lot of things only happen for a little while, but that this would never end. He told me to give it to the girl I trusted most…the girl I wanted to spend my life with…but…it's not forever?"

For the first time in an entire week, Wanda felt tears of joy well up inside of her. She took his hand and fingered the ring gently. "Yes, Cosmo," she said, gazing up at him with hooded eyes, "this is for forever. Daddy was right." Cosmo smiled suddenly, showing off his braced teeth.

"So…can…can I put it on your finger, Wanda? Is that okay?"

Wanda laughed and nodded frantically. Cosmo took her hand in his and slid the ring onto her finger. Though the metal was cold against her skin, Cosmo's hand remained on hers and ignited her entire soul with a warm glow. The pair smiled up at each other and looked out into the night. The stars and the very moon itself seemed to wink down at them.

Cosmo gave her a single glance and all was decided. They didn't need to say that they were leaving. They didn't need to say that they would never return to their parents. They didn't need to speak at all. Still holding Wanda's hand, Cosmo opened the window and the fairies flew off into sky, neither looking back. Wanda knew she had had found her soul mate. Cosmo knew he had found forever. Both knew they had found their sanctuaries.


End file.
